Expansive-fluid motor.



No. 7l5, 2'8-5" 'Patented D ec. 9, |902.

J. A. NURTDN.

EXPANSIVE FLUID MUTUI?.

(Application med Aug. 28, 1901.) (lin Model.)

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UNrrsn STATES PATENT Ormes.

JAMES A. NORTON, OF ODEBOLT, IOVA.

EXPANSlVE-FLUID MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,285, dated December 9, 1902. Application filed August 28, 1901. Serial No. 73,516. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, .i AMES A. NORTON, actizen of the United States, residing at Odebolt, in the county of Sac and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EXpansive-Flnid Motors, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

rlhis invention relates to mechanism for converting reciprocating into rotary motion, having special reference to overcoming dead-center-and securing steady movement. Itis, furthermore, specifically designed for deriving rotary motion ot' a single shaft or wheel from the reciprocating motion of two independently-actuated reciprocating parts, as the pistons of two engines or separate cylinders of an engine, and in this specific application of it it is adapted and designed to transmit motion in such manner that the power derived from the two reciprocating elements shall overlap, so that both shall be operating at the same time for a portion of the stroke at both ends, thus preventing even an instant or point in the action at which by reason of the transfer of the action from one to the other of the reciprocating elements the rotary element may be out of operative connection with both.

The invention consists in the features of construction set ont in the claims.

My invention is herein shown and described as applied and connected to a motor of the nature of a steam or gas engine or other motor employing expansive gas and operating by virtue of the expansion, because its chief or greatest utility and certain features of construction are especially contri ved and adapted with reference to its use in such connection. In the present application the invention is treated and clai-med Without regard to its application to this particular use, and the illustration of it in connection with such a motor is made merely for the purpose of rendering the structure and mode of action clear.

Figure l is a partly-sectional elevation of a -motor embodying my invention, the section being made cutting away a portion ot' the case and mechanism at the plane indicated by the line 1 1 on Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section at line 2 2 on Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail plan of a dog for engaging the drive-chain and devices tor and inasmuch as in View of this fact a motory of the construction above described running slowly might come to a halt at the end of each stroke, it is desirable that the pressure for each stroke in each direction should become effective as a source of motive power a little before the end of the preceding stroke, so that there shall be no point at which the power is at zero or limited to the momentum derived from the preceding motion. In order to accomplish this result, I employ the construction shown in the drawings, in which I employ two parallel cylinders ct 0., having independentpistons b b, the two cylinders being arranged to receive the steam at opposite ends, but each at one end only, and the valve-controlling mechanism being constructed so that the steam is admitted alternately to the two cylinders, so that one piston is adapted to make its actuating stroke in one direction and the other is adapted to make its actuating stroke in the opposite direction, said alternating strokes alternating in point ol' time. Each piston has its connecting-rod b provided with a dog, one of the dogs bm being designed to engage one ply of the chain on the outstroke of the piston, while the other dog b is designed to engage the opposite ply of the chain on the instroke of the piston. The cylinder whose piston-rod has the dog bw receives steam at the end re-.

has a stud btraveli'ng, preferably, in a groove y or slot 'n' in a web N', projecting from the frame N, such groove being formed with cam- ICO . still making its power-stroke.

slopes n10 and nu at opposite ends, adapted, respectively, to throw the dog into and out of engagement with the chain. The dogs have each a projection 613 from the hub near the pivot,such projection bearingagainstaspring B13, lodged at its ends and yielding at the middle. The movement of the dog about the pivot from engaged to disengaged position carries the projection 51S past the line of direct pressure of the spring toward the pivot, and the spring thus tends to hold the dog at either position after it is moved by the carnslopes, respectively. In the absence of special provision for the purpose it will be seen that neither piston would have any return stroke. The provision for this purpose which I have shown consists of a segment-rack C' upon one of the wheels c c, such rack occupying from ninety degrees to one hundred and twenty degrees of the circumference and being adapted to mesh during a corresponding portion of the rotation of the wheel with the pinion F on one end of the shaftf, journaled in the frame, the other end of the shaft having a spur-gear F', which meshes with the rack G, rigid with the piston b'. Each piston being similarly provided and the pinions F and F' and shaftf being duplicated at opposite sides to actuate the similar racks G G, it will be seen that the continued rotation of the wheel C, having the rack C', will in one half of its movement rotate the shaftfand cause the spur-gear F thereon to actuate the rack G, and thereby retract the piston to which it is connected, while in the other half of the rotation of the wheel C the gear-segment C will in like manner retract the other piston, the retracting movement, however, being in opposite directions, as the power-actuating movements of the two pistons are in opposite directions. The relation of the gear segment C', the pinion F, the spur-gear F', and the rack Gr are calculated so that retraction of each piston is more rapid than its operating stroke-that is to say, is performed in less than half the rotation of the wheel C-and the parts are assembled and put in engagement, so timed that the retracting movement of each piston commences later than the actuating or power-communicating movement of the other piston, but ends substantially simultaneously therewith; or, to state the matter in inverse order, the power-actuating movement of each piston commences a little before the corresponding movement of the other piston closes, the apparent loss of the later piston being made up by the more rapid retraction which it receives from the mechanism described, so that it reaches the opposite end of its path, ready to receive its actuating impulse and commence its power-stroke, before the other piston finishes the power-stroke which it in like manner began while the rst piston was I have not shown the mechanism for operating the inlet and exhaust valves of these cylinders, the construction of such valves and their operating mechanism being a matter which will readily be understood by those familiar with the art in view of the timing of their action indicated in the above description.

I claiml. In a power-transmitting mechanism, a device for overcoming dead-center, comprising two Wheels and a chain which encompasses and connects them, in combination with two rods independently actuated by the motive power, having means for engaging respectively the opposite'plies of the chain, the connections of one rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in one direction, and the connections of the other rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in the opposite direction.

2. A power-transmitting mechanism, comprising two wheels and a chain which encompasses and connects them, in combination with two rods independently actuated by the motive power and having means for engaging respectively the opposite plies of the chain, the connections of one rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in one direction, and the connections of the other rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke Ain the opposite direction; and mechanical connections between the two rods by which each rod in its chain-actuating stroke gives a retracting stroke to the other rod.

3. A power-transmitting mechanism cornprising two` wheels and a chain which encompasses and connects them, in combination with two rods independently actuated by the motive power, and having means for engaging respectively the opposite plies of the chain, the connections of one rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in one direction, and the connections of the other rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in the opposite direction, and mechanicalconnectionsbetween the tworods bywhich each rod in its chain-actuating stroke gives a retracting stroke to the other rod with a movement more rapid than its own.

4. A power-transmitting mechanism, comprising two wheels and a chain which encompasses and connects them, in combination with two rods independently actuated by the motive power, and having means for engaging respectively the opposite plies of the chain; the connections of one rod being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in one direction and the connections of the other rod -being adapted to actuate the chain by its stroke in the opposite direction, and each adapted to be disengaged from the chain in the opposite strokes; racks on the rods respectively shafts journaled transversely with respect to the path of the movement of the racks, having pinions engaging said racks respectively, and having each another pinion; a gear-segment actuated by one of the chainactuated wheels and engaging said last-mentioned pinions on the shaft respectively, the two pinions on each shaft being so related to IOO IIO

each other and to the gear-segment that the segment transmits to the racks respectively reverse movement more rapid than the chainactuating movement of the rods.

5. In a power-transmitting mechanism, a device for overcoming dead-center, comprising two wheels, and a chain which encompasses and connects them, a rod reciprocated by the motive power, a dog connected with said rod adapted to engage the chain and actuating the latter by its stroke in one direction, a cam adjacent to the path of movement of the dog to throw it into engagement with the chain at the commencement of one stroke, and to throw it out of engagement atthe end of such stroke.

6. A power-transmitting mechanism, comprising two wheels, and a chain which encompasses and connects them; reciprocating rods and dogs connected to them respectively, adapted to engage the opposite plies of the chain; cams adjacent to the paths of the dogs respectively, adapted to be encountered by the latter and throw them into engagement with the chain at the commencement of their operating strokes respectively, and to throw them out of engagement at the end of suc strokes.

7. In'a power-transmitting mechanism, a device for overcoming dead-center, consisting of two wheels and a chain which encompasses and connects them, two reciprocating rods and dogs connected with them respectively adapted to engage respectively the opposite plies of the chain upon the opposite `strokes of the reciprocating rods respectively, and. cams adjacent to the paths of said dogs for throwing them out of engagement at the end of the stroke.

8. In a power-transmitting mechanism, a device for overcoming dead-center, consisting of two wheels and an endless chain which encompasses and connects them, a reciprocating rod having pivoted to it a dog' adapted to engage the chain in the movement of the rod in one direction, a cam at one end of the path of the dog to throw it into engagement with the chain, and a cam at the opposite end to throw it out of such engagement, a spring whose tension is exerted toward the pivot of the dog, the dog being constructed to receive the pressure of such spring at a point which is carried past the pivot in the moving of the dog into and out of the engaged position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, Illinois, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 9th day of August, A. D. 1901.

JAMES A. NORTON.

In presence of- ADNA H. BOWEN, J r., EDWARD T. WRAY. 

